Articles by Central Banking Newsdesk
No end in sight for cash payments, Canadian research finds
Despite its costs, cash remains a popular option among Canadians, with younger consumers and merchants showing the highest demand for cash
Polish paper examines impact of different loan types on policy efficacy
Researchers from Polish and Norwegian central banks consider how the different characteristics of residential mortgage markets influence the workings of monetary and macro-prudential policy
IMF paper suggests looser monetary policy to offset eurozone macro-pru policies
Staff paper examining housing markets in Denmark, Ireland, Spain and the Netherlands also proposes restricting banks' ability to pay dividends in order to absorb losses
Obama to nominate community banker to Fed board of governors
Move follows bipartisan criticism against the prevalence of academics in the US central bank's top ranks; Fed announces new head of monetary affairs
State Bank of Vietnam devalues dong as dollar rises
Vietnam’s central bank devalues the dong by 1% against the dollar, in a move to create ‘sustainable stability’ in the forex market
Zambian governor fears shariah scholar shortage
Michael Gondwe identifies challenges to the growth of Islamic finance in Zambia, which he believes is necessary to provide affordable products and services to the population
Pent-up wage cuts an 'important force' during recovery, San Francisco Fed researchers find
Many firms were unable to reduce wages during the recession, and the 'pent-up' reductions have influenced the recovery, argue authors
PBoC names clearing banks in Thailand and Malaysia
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China will clear renminbi in Bangkok and Bank of China in Kuala Lumpur, the central bank announces
Bank of Korea paper examines global liquidity drivers
Researchers at central bank explore transmission of global liquidity shocks from advanced to emerging market economies; warns there is no ‘silver bullet’ response
Bundesbank paper finds bank levy is biting
Big banks have adjusted their behaviour in response to a tax on their liabilities, but less revenue has been raised than expected, Bundesbank researchers find
Banks are being herded into using similar risk methods by regulation, experts warn
Regulation is encouraging banks to manage risk using similar methods, which presents a threat to financial stability, witnesses tell a UK parliamentary committee
FSB definition of shadow banking paints 'incomplete picture', warns IMF paper
US and eurozone sectors similar in size according to working paper, which says other measures fail to account for ‘non-traditional banking activities carried out by the banks themselves'
Sri Lanka reduces inflation target range by 200bp
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka will aim to keep inflation between 2% and 4% in 2015, after a fall in prices and in some key commodities. From 2016 on, the bank will aim for 3% to 5%
Peru adopts measures to reduce credit dollarisation
Peru’s central bank lowers the reserve requirement for local currency loans to 9% as part of a suite of measures aimed at boosting financial stability
Basel Committee revamps approach to credit risk models
Separate consultations set out improvements to standardised credit risk modelling approaches and make proposals for a capital floor; seek to reduce use of external ratings
Impact of ECB unconventional policies depends on bank capitalisation, finds Belgian paper
ECB crisis measures have greater impact on GDP growth in countries where banks are well capitalised, researchers find
Bahrain governor defends capital ratios
Rasheed Mohammed Al Maraj argues capital requirements ‘are not arbitrary, or excessive or punitive’ as they are necessary to prevent excessive risk-taking
Mauritius reappoints former governor
Rameswurlall Basant Roi returns after eight years following the reported ousting of Rundheersing Bheenick in December; new deputy also appointed
Central Bank of Brazil extends swap auctions
Brazil’s central bank will continue to hold daily foreign-exchange swap auctions until March, but has reduced the amount on offer from $200 million to $100 million a day
BIS paper finds US spillovers impact through long-term rates
Researchers show US monetary policy spills over into Asian economies mainly through long-term interest rates and suggest policy options
Bernanke laments scripted policy meetings
Former Fed chair tells Mervyn King that meetings are ‘deadly boring’ as most of the work is done in advance; both men reflect on the crisis for BBC Radio 4’s Today programme
2014: The year in review
The past year has seen central banks across the globe grapple with reform, at an institutional and global level – we look back at the biggest stories of 2014
Riksbank critic becomes deputy governor
Henry Ohlsson, an economics professor who attacked the Swedish central bank for failing to reach its inflation target in a report earlier this year, is picked to replace Karolina Ekholm
FSB pushes countries to meet higher information exchange standards
Financial Stability Board publishes latest progress report on information sharing, with thirteen jurisdictions still lagging behind; updates list of ‘financially important’ economies